Mt Whitney Zone Forums Active Threads

Yep! Wag bags are available in a bin on the trellis-like structure over the very start of the trail.

Same here.I sent an email requesting help and just received this from rec.govSupport:

"Thank you for contacting Recreation.gov!

I apologize, but I cannot answer your question or provide you with information about this location today. Due to the complicated nature of this permit, the managers at Mt. Whitney in the Inyo National Forest have asked that you call their staff to assist with your questions. They have the most knowledge about this location and this permit and are glad to assist with your questions or provide you with additional information. You can reach them by calling, (760) 873-2483. I’m able to assist with any other questions or information about Recreation.gov not related to Mt. Whitney Permits.



If you have any other issues or requests, please refer to our Contact Us page for assistance.

Thank you,

Alisa"

I will call on my upcoming days off.

Hey Mark,

I was considering the same variables you are just a few days ago. I had done the regular trail 4 times, but was going on the MR for the first time starting on the 28th of July. I never had altitude issues on the regular trail but I know the MR is twice as steep, so I wanted to be more cautious. I ended up driving from San Diego on the 27th and spending the night at Whitney Portal. I chose to hike to UBSL on the 28th. I could have easily gone to Iceberg, but I was concerned about the night I was going to have up there. On the 29th, with a light pack, we sumitted and got back to the trailhead (started at 3:30 am and were back by 3:30 pm). It worked out well. By the time I started having a tiny headache from the altitude, I was already back at 11,000 ft or so. It disappeared by the time I crossed back at the 10,000 ft level. Because I spent the night at the trailhead, I think going to Iceberg would be OK. I would not try to spend the night at Iceberg if I just drove from sea level that day though. I think if I were you and the schedule was tight, I would spend the first night at LBSL at 10,000 ft and summit the next day, getting back to LBLS as quickly as you can.

Best of luck. The MR is a gorgeous trail!

Gustavo

Thanks for posting Bob. Maybe I misread the original post. He wrote Center Basin, so I assumed he meant via Junction Pass. But he wrote in the title "Shepherd Pass". So I guess he meant joining the JMT to get to the Center Basin creek.

Different people react to altitude very differently, so it’s very difficult to say how much acclimatization you need. Your best plan is moderate hiking at the highest altitude you can access and tolerate and then sleep relatively high (Whitney Portal or Horseshoe Meadow). Sleeping in a nice, comfortable bed in Lone Pine will un-do the acclimatization you achieved at Horseshoe Meadow.

Regarding the switchbacks: That is that point where altitude issues can set in for many people. Being that they have already climbed 4000 vertical feet, that level of exhaustion can bring on AMS symptoms. Also for many, they are now at 12,500 elevation, higher than most people have ever hiked. AMS symptoms can really kick in.

Big Pine wrote: > Now that I think about it, you can get lost on your way down from the summit if there's a large group gathering at the JMT junction that blocks your view of the direction signs, and you end up taking the wrong turn as a result. But I don't think that's a common occurrence.

I have heard a few stories of people who ended up going down that way by mistake:
-- One was a novice with an experienced hiker -- he took forever getting up, but on the way down, started out ahead, and then saw the switchbacks below on the west side, so took a shortcut down. The experienced hiker had to go like crazy to catch up, stop him and turn him around.
-- There was a report written by one who actually did that, survived the night below near Guitar Lake without any gear, and was then led out by a Search and Rescue team the next day.
-- Several guys were camped near the trail near Guitar Lake, when two hikers came by, heading west. Fortunately they stopped the hikers and found out they thought they were on their way to Whitney Portal. Fortunately the overnighters were able to help them spend the night, and then hike out over Trail Crest the next morning.

Bob Rockwell convinced the Sequoia N.P. people a few years ago to correct the signs at the JMT junction. For years the sign to Whitney Portal pointed south off the mountain.

Thank you so much for the tips on food! And I think I was about the same distance away when I called it last time as well...

People who take up too much real estate with their poles as you try to squeeze by.

Thanks for both your replies.

For what its worth, on our permit day (last Wednesday), as cantare wrote, the temperature at the summit was higher than mountain-forecast.com forecast for that day. Indeed the summit temperature was at the high end of the several forecasts I looked at the day before. But glad we didn't depend on the forecasts. The day before, people coming down the mountain at the edge of the Whitney Zone said it hailed on the switchbacks at approximately 1:30pm. That wasn't in any of the forecasts I saw.

We dressed in layers and were glad. We needed the extra warmth just before and after sunrise, then had blue skies and relatively warm weather the rest of the day.

The old adage really holds true, be prepared for anything.

"Monitoring - inReach Activation and Plan Management is currently experiencing unusually high load. Customers may see delays of three or more hours when activating new devices or making plan changes. "

I was hiking on that same day. I made it to the summit at 11:30 ish. I didn’t spend much time up there other than pictures and signing the book. On the way back down it started to snow. By the time I hit the switchbacks it was just a light sprinkle. I couldn’t believe how many people were still ascending the switchbacks in attempt to summit with the weather being like it was. When I got back to Trail camp some campers told me the we’re hearing thunder but while hiking I never heard anything. Also we had a bear steal some food from my group while getting ready at the portal @1:30am.

Well, I'll be checking out peaks #0-8 while skipping #4. I might check out #6 and end up being the clown that gets scared on that route

One of the boulders that's blocking the trail as a result of June's earthquake. There are a few other boulders on the trail as of mid-July, but like this one, they're all easily passable. This boulder is approximately 4.5 miles into the trail.

Just did Whitney (and Muir) via Mountaineer's Route as a day hike yesterday (7/24) with my wife and 10-year old son. Route generally followed descriptions online and was fairly straightforward if comfortable with Class 3 climbing. No special equipment needed. We hiked in sneakers. Followed chute to the left of the snow filled gully above Iceberg Lake. Final chute up to summit had some ice at bottom which required extra care. Nearly had a mishap when a large boulder came free, but did not fall, about 15 vertical feet from the top. Also, did short scramble/climb up Muir on return via Whitney Trail. Overall, this hike was much easier than Russell via East Ridge which my son and I did two weeks prior as a overnight.

I also used the weather.gov site: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapCli...rine=0&unit=0&lg=en#.XxyKjZ5KjIU

and the various model runs at: https://weather.us/model-charts/standard
and: https://weather.us/model-charts/euro

You want to check the trend and consistency. If all of those sites forecast clear skies and 0% chance of precipitation for the day of your hike and the day before and after, you're good and can safely summit at any time of the day. If the forecasts conflict, consider an early start and turn around when you see clouds start to build. A few small isolated clouds can turn into rain and thunder in 2 hours or less.

FWIW, on my July 20 summit, Mountain Forecast predicted clear skies in the AM, some clouds in the PM, and calm winds. The actual weather was clear skies from 6-9 AM, cloudy by noon, light rain showers and some thunder in the afternoon (not intense or very near), breezy conditions from 4 - 5 PM, and clear skies and calm winds after 6 PM.

Also, Mountain Forecast usually underestimates high temps and overestimates low temps. The diurnal temperature variation is typically greater than what Mountain Forecast predicts.

> My appetite didn't return to normal until the following day.

AMS symptoms don't show up until you have been at altitude for some hours, so there is probably a similar time-lag for all the symptoms to dissipate.

Based on all the above, I would urge the alternate to register with that email address. They have probably received an email from recreation.gov, and it probably tells them what they need to do.

Thanks for providing further details about your experience during the EQ. Just think, if you had gotten footage during the quake you might now be rich and famous or at least your name and video would have been on every news site.

Wow! Nice report. Great job with the rescue.

Thanks for sharing that, Bob.

Thanks Steve. I remember you mentioning that trip over the Russell-Carillon Pass to Lake Tulainyo. I carried an overnight pack to that pass, but never to the lake... and yes, carrying that up the scree is not easy. I've chatted with others up there on different trips, and a few have done something like what I described, but they may have come from a different direction (via Wallace Lake and beyond). I can't remember.

I figure those George Creek permits must be there for a reason (who would bushwhack to nowhere?). If I go that way, and succeed, I'll post tracks.

Pictures taken along the Whitney Main Trail

Good job, but that pace isn't typical for someone in your condition. I carried a light pack from Trail Camp (under 15 pounds), am in pretty decent shape (ran a 5:15 mile or better several times this year), and it still took me more than 4 hours to reach the summit from Trail Camp. I could probably have gotten there in 3 and a half hours if I had to, but that pace would have left me exhausted with no time to enjoy the view and take pictures.

Anyway, on July 20th, the sun rose over the horizon at 5:44 (viewed from ~13,000'), but it was bright enough to see the outline of the landscape around an hour before at 4:45. You can look at the sunrise/sunset times for Lone Pine on different dates and adjust accordingly:
https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@5367862

I've had my fill of Whitney this summer, so I've just cancelled my day use permit for August 29. Weekend permits are in high demand, so it would be a good idea to check recreation.gov often during the next 24 hours if you're interested in it.

Hi Justin,

Doug Thompson, proprietor of the Store, can be reached at the other Whitney forum:

http://www.mountwhitneyforum.com/

Richard

Just received my permit via email this morning